Meet our Trustees
The Eikon Charity has grown significantly over recent years and we are now working to support thousands of children, young people, and families across Surrey. Part of this growth is due to the incredible support of our highly skilled and dedicated Board of Trustees, who volunteer their time. Our trustees bring a range of skills and lived experience and use their expertise to oversee the strategic direction, governance, core policies, financial oversight, legal compliance, and general performance of the charity to meet its charitable purposes.
Nigel Goddard – Chair
After retiring from a 35-year international career with BP, Nigel wanted to give something back to local communities. Having strong family values, he looked to support the wellbeing of children and young people, given the ever-increasing pressures in their daily lives. He fully subscribes to Eikon’s strategic aims, values and focus on youth services, and joined us in 2016 following a merger with the Windle Valley Youth Project, which he chaired. Now an independent consultant to the oil and gas industry, Nigel is also a business advisor with Young Enterprise and a former Volunteer Mentor and Youth Club Volunteer.
Kevin Young – Finance Trustee
Kevin is a Price Waterhouse-trained chartered accountant with more than 30 years’ experience in senior finance roles, including at local civil engineering business Mouchel. He was inspired to join Eikon by our leadership and management and the team’s enthusiasm, dedication and determination. Kevin wanted to use his experience to support our work, having experienced first-hand, through wider family and other volunteering work, some of the many difficulties and problems young people face.
Amanda Stevens
Mandy is a registered nurse with 33 years’ clinical and managerial expertise and experience at NHS board director level. Recognised as a subject matter expert in mental health, Mandy has 15 years’ clinical experience across a range of mental health services and says her personal experience of using mental health services has had a significant impact on the way she approaches her work. A vocal advocate for mental health, including national mental health awareness campaigns, suicide prevention and anti-stigma campaigns, Mandy is also a national expert advisor to the Mental Health Safety Improvement Programme.
Anneke de Boer
A retired Morgan Stanley investment banker, Anneke served three terms as a Governor at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is part of a multidisciplinary team providing business support to charities. Her belief that programmes like ours can leverage local understanding to provide a faster and more tailored strategy than national initiatives led her to join Eikon. A parent to two young men herself, Anneke knows being a teenager isn’t easy. She is driven to help her community so that all young people have the opportunity to shape their own futures.
Debbie Boughtflower
Debbie has worked with vulnerable children for over 30 years, volunteering for a number of charities at home and abroad, and as a respite foster carer for Surrey County Council for 14 years. Following 30 years as a programme and operations manager in the private and public sectors, Debbie moved to the charity sector, first with the NSPCC and currently with The Poppy Factory, supporting service development, delivery and evaluation for vulnerable young people and adults. Debbie was drawn to Eikon because of its focus on prevention and early help, as she believes in empowering young people to thrive and develop the confidence to be whoever they want to be.
Ian Watson
Ian is a qualified accountant who has extensive non-executive and executive board experience in both the private and charitable sectors. Having been aware for some time of our services for young people, he found that joining Eikon was ‘a natural choice’ when he was looking to assist a Surrey-based charity helping children and young people.
Julie Gillis
Following a long career in the public sector, where she delivered major government change programmes, Julie brings a wealth of experience at board level, in operations and in financial compliance. She is passionate about improving social mobility and children’s mental health and shares a strong sense of purpose and values with Eikon’s CEO and leadership team. Julie is a committed mentor with a focus on equality and diversity, and has more recently been working in secondary schools supporting children and young people with special educational needs.
Michael Pyman
Mike brings a young person’s perspective to Eikon’s board. He was motivated to join us as a trustee after receiving support from Eikon at secondary school. He was also inspired by our CEO, Chris Hickford, and by what he describes as Chris’s drive, selflessness and dedication to improving young people’s lives. Supported by us during his five years at Fullbrook School, Mike believes he wouldn’t be where he is today without Chris or Eikon and wants other young people to receive the same help and support he did.
Rebecca Wakefield
Rebecca is a communications and engagement specialist with extensive experience in both the public and private sectors, focusing on a wide range of issues such as education, climate and the built environment. She brings valuable knowledge and support to our communications strategy, marketing efforts and work to develop external relationships. Rebecca lives close to the area we serve, enjoys helping to support local children and says ‘it would have been great’ to have had access to a service like ours when she was at school.
Richard Moseley
Richard is a retired banker with broad general management experience in a number of countries. He joined us after feeling inspired while talking to our CEO, Chris Hickford, about the challenges faced by children in Surrey and becoming convinced of the importance of early help. His motivation to work with us was strengthened after he heard stories from young adults who had benefited from our service. In his words, ‘the question should be, how could one not help Eikon?’
Stefanie Verdorfer
Stefanie is a philanthropy expert with a background in global fundraising, developing multi-million philanthropic partnerships, capacity building and strategy development. She works with international funders and organisations to advance their philanthropic goals in a wide range of areas including global health, education, gender equality and climate change. She is passionate about driving impact through meaningful partnerships. Stefanie lives with her family in Surrey and is keen to use her experience and skills to support children and young people in her community.
